Budget fashion chain Primark has been forced to withdraw skinny mannequins, complete with protruding rib-cages, from its window displays following complaints from a concerned shopper.

Mel Fraser posted the picture of a skinny mannequin in the window of a Glasgow store on Instagram this week and questioned their usage, saying they ‘sent a dangerous message to impressionable teenagers’.

‘I would like to see mannequins in all different shapes and sizes… rather than young girls thinking this is the only way to be,’ she added.

After the picture was shared on Twitter more than 1400 times, Primark initially responded to say it was investigating before following up yesterday to say the mannequins wouldn’t be used again.

@Melfyx We're currently changing our window displays. The mannequins you describe will not be used in this way again.

In contrast, department store Debenhams announced in November last year that it would be rolling out size 16 mannequins across the country alongside its standard size 10 models in an effort to represent ‘real women’, after trials resonated well with customers.